For Me
by TheShiroNeko
Summary: I don't what we would be doing right now if you hadn't gone. I miss you. Please come back. (I don't own Gakuen Alice!)


"Papa, Come here! Do I look okay?" shouted my five year old daughter, Kaoru, as she twirled in front of the mirror.

"You look beautiful, dear." I said, taking her small hand in my big one. "Okay Papa!"

As we left the house, I felt her clumsily walk beside me as she tried to keep up with my long strides. I gripped her hand tighter as I swung her into my arms and gave her a small peck on her cheek. She smiled in return, wrapping her arms around my neck and squeezing tight. She stayed like that for a while, until she demanded that I put her down, and that she could walk by herself. I chuckled quietly to myself, thinking about how much she resembled her mother.

With her chocolate brown hair tied into two pigtails, a fierce smile and a cheerful but headstrong attitude, she could easily pass for a younger version of my late wife. All except bright red eyes, which she got from me. We also realized that she had the same alice that my wife had, and that she could also control fire. We had decided that we wouldn't teach her to reach the full extent of her power until she was old enough to control it all.

We finally reached our destination. It was the village where she had grown up. The village of her childhood.

The village of Mikan's childhood.

We walked through the throng of people, muttering an occasional "sorry" when we bumped into other people. Kaoru and I walked until we reached the other side of town, where the cemetery was located. I walked through the gravestones, My eyes finally settling on the one the belonged to Mikan.

Yes. She had died two years ago, in a fire that had burnt down our previous house. It was the day of Kaoru's birthday, and I had gone out to the market with Kaoru to buy her a gift. Mikan had stayed back to prepare the cake. When I came back, I found the entire house on fire. I tried to control the flames, but the damage was too severe. I ran into the house, trying to find Mikan.

I found her lying in a corner, face black from all the soot, and a third-degree burn that ran down the length of her arm. I got her out of there as soon as possible, called an ambulance, and prayed to the gods for help, but it was too late. The damage had been done, and she passed away on the same day.

I remember how much I had cried that day. I couldn't imagine what it might have down to Kaoru, knowing that her mother had died on the same day as her birthday.

And right now, as I stood in front of her gravestone, all the memories of that day came rushing back to me.

"Hi Mikan. Its really been a long time, huh? You know, its funny how I still remember the first time we met. You were just a girl, and I was just a nobody. Looking back on that day, I wonder how my life would have been if I hadn't met you at all. If our fates weren't entwined. I imagine that it would be nothing short of boring." Kaoru gripped my hand tight.

"I wonder what we might be doing now, if the fire had never happened. I wonder what you would think of our daughter. I want to tell you so many things about her. About how much she resembles you, and how much trouble she gives me. But I would never trade her for anything in the world, and you know that." I paused, taking in a short breath before I continued, "I love you Mikan. I always have." I wiped a stray tear that had managed to escape away from my cheek with the back of my hand. I stepped back, letting Kaoru talk to Mikan.

"Hi Mama. I hope that you are fine and that you are eating a lot yummy foods! I go to school everyday and I also do my homework! I also have many friends. I always think that you are by my side and always helping me with Papa. I didn't want you to leave us, and you did, but I cannot be mad at Mama forever. I forgive you." Kaoru said, not shedding a single tear the whole time she was talking, but the pain was evident in her voice.

I wished I could be as strong as my little girl, but I could'nt. As if a dam had broken, I fell down on my knees as I sobbed uncontrollably, all the while having my baby girl hug me in a tight embrace. It was more than I could ask for. Even though Mikan wasn't here anymore, I would still carry on, and raise our daughter the same way we would have done together,

For Mikan.

For Kaoru.

For me.


End file.
